Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT !vii KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Council presents its one hundred and thirty-second Report and Statement of Accounts for 1990. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting was held at Rochester on Saturday, 19th May, when Council's Annual Report and Accounts for 1989 were accepted. Messrs. Reeves and Neylan of Canterbury were re-appointed as Auditors of the Society. OFFICERS The following were elected as Officers of the Society: The President Mr K.W.E. Gravett, M.Sc.(Eng.), F.S.A. The Hon. Editor Dr A.P. Detsicas, B.A., M.A., D.Litt., F.S.A., F.S.A.Scot. The Hon. Treasurer Mr A.G. Webster, F.C.A. The Hon. General Secretary Mr A.C. Harrison, B.A., F.S.A. The Hon. Membership Secretary Mrs. M. Lawrence The Hon. Excursions Secretary Mr M.A. Crane, B.A. The Hon. Curator Mr D.B. Kelly, B.A., F.S.A., A.M.A. The Hon. Librarian Dr P.H.G. Draper, B.Sc., Ph.D. COUNCIL The following were elected members of Council: Mr P.H. Blake;* Mr A.I. Moffat;* Mr M.A. Ocock;* Mr P.E. Oldham;* Dr F.H. Panton, M.B.E., Ph.D.; Mr C.P. Ward.* • Retiring member of Council eligible for re-election. lviii ANNUAL REPORT In addition, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr R.J. Spain, Mr I.A. Coulson was elected for a period of three years. PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Volume CVII of Archaeologia Cantiana was issued in 1990. The volume, under the editorship of Dr A.P. Detsicas, B.A., M.A., D.Litt., F.S.A., F.S.A.Scot., maintains its high standard and its contents cover a wide field of Archaeology and History. Parts I and II of Volume I of the new Records series, Henry Haule's Notebook, 1590-95, edited by Dr F. Hull, were issued to subscribers in 1990. A number of other texts are in preparation, and it is hoped to maintain in the future a steady issue of this series at the rate of a four-part volume annually, if possible. There has been no progress with Excavations at Highstead, Volume VI of the Society's Monograph Series, which is still being revised. On the other hand, there is a strong likelihood that another volume, dealing with the early history of Rochester Cathedral, may be published in the near future. EXCURSIONS Members had a variety of interests covered by the excursions and entertainments this year. In early June thirty-six mainly old faithfuls who have accompanied us each year to the Continent, with a handful of new comers, spent five delightful days in Holland enjoying the architectural sites in Amsterdam, Leiden, Haarlem, Leiden, Hoorne and Heusden. In July, east Kent played host to a strictly limited number, thirty, who visited Goodnestone Church, Chillenden Mill, and could only be dragged away from the beautiful Goodnestone Gardens by the thought of another strawberry and cream tea at Dane Court. Finally in September, during the first week of rain experienced in Kent for months, over fifty members and friends packed the motor vessel Ren Roy IV for a three hour cruise on the R. Stour from Grove Ferry. Four weeks before this the organiser had undertaken part of the same excursion himself, to his horror low water gave him 180 minutes viewing low banks and bulrushes. Fortunately, the rain and high tide helped to provide members with a memorable journey through the marshes of north-east Kent and saved the organiser from wholesale mutiny and keel-hauling. A full programme for 1991 has been organised, but due to domestic arrangements a tour of North England is being substituted for the longer Continental visit - but more next year! !ix ANNUAL REPORT FIELDWORK COMMITTEE The Committee has organised two events, a day meeting on Roman roads, led by Mrs. M.C. Lebon, at Benenden, and a one-day conference on Archaeological Work in Kent in the Eighties at the Spa Hotel in Tunbridge Wells. Consideration is actively being given to the organisation of a training excavation in the summer of 1991, and members will be notified in due course. MEMBERSHIP AND PUBLICITY COMMITTEE It has been another encouraging year for the Society. At December 31st, 1990. the membership stood at 1,590, an increase of 63 over last year's total of 1,527. The gain was accounted for by the election of 125 new members. This number was offset by the removal of 62 names made necessary by the decease of 19 members, the resignation of 17 and the removal of 26 on account of non-payment for two years. Among the deceased were Mr A.L. Congreve and Mr W. Tompsett both members for 53 years, Lt.-Col. Attenborough and Mrs. L. Levey, both members for 40 years, Mr A. Grove and Mr F. Jessup. The Membership and Publicity Committee has met on four occasions during the year to consider ways in which both the Society's image and service to members can be improved. Handsome signboards displaying the K.A.S. badge have been designed and have already been used for route indicators for Society events. They are to be stored in the library where headed posters are also available. Greetings cards featuring lesser known Kent churches have been produced and will be on sale at Society functions (by post details in Spring' 91 Newsletter). Mrs. Saynor has continued to sell ties and other Society gifts. There have been three issues of the Newsletter and Mrs. Caiger is to be congratulated not only on its standard but on its prompt regularity, which has restored efficient communication within the Society. Two social events were organised by the committee during the year: the Spring Country Evening and Barbecue at Brattles Farm Museum, Staplehurst, and the Christmas Buffet Lunch at St. George's Hall, Chatham Dockyard, when some 80 members were entertained by the Hartley Morris Men. Once again it is pleasing to report that these social events have not only attracted newer members but enticed older members to give us the pleasure of their company. Ix ANNUAL REPORT KENT UNDERGROUND RESEARCH GROUP The major project of the Group for the last year has been the investigation of one of the Ragstone mines at Mote Park, Maidstone. With the permission of the Borough Council Group members began excavations to attempt to gain access to the underground workings. The tunnels had last been open in the 1960s when they were deliberately blocked to stop children playing in them. At that time no survey was made of the layout of the galleries and no historical data collected. At an early stage in the Group's work a strong entrance gate was constructed to keep the site secure. After several months of removing backfill access was gained to the mine, parts of which are in very poor condition with several major roof falls. Work has started on the surveying of the mined galleries and this will continue into 1991. An interim report will be compiled as soon as possible. Several other minor sites have been visited during the year and are published in our Annual Research Report, the date of publication of which has changed from December to July. KENT HISTORIC BUILDINGS COMMITTEE This committee, which is jointly sponsored with the C.P.R.E., has continued to work under the last twelve months under the chairmanship of Kenneth Gravett. The number of listed building applications which have been referred to the committee for comment, has risen from 113 in 1987, 83 in 1988, 93 in 1989 to 153 in 1990. The K.H.B.C. also act as agents throughout Kent for the Council for British Archaeology and all proposals involving any element of demolition to a listed building should be referred to this committee who have the opportunity to object or advise. It is not within the remit of the K.H.B.C. to signify approval or to be involved in environmental matters. Much value is placed upon the watchfulness of committee members who, within their own districts, draw attention to unauthorised or unacceptable work being carried out to listed buildings. Where neglect places the building in danger, steps can be taken to ensure that the owner accepts his responsibility to at least make it wind and watertight. Work is in progress in getting the updated listings on computer so that members can more easily be aware of buildings in their locality and report to the quarterly meetings. The K.C.C. has now completed a 'Buildings at Risk' register by lxi ANNUAL REPORT Civic Authority areas throughout the county. These will receive particular attention at each of the committee meetings. Among the other important buildings that the committee has recently concerned itself is Abbey Farm, Faversham which has become the subject of vandalism. The Local Authority has been urged to use its powers to ensure that owners take steps to protect these fine barns from any further damage. A piece of welcome news is the purchase by Canterbury District Council of Littlebourne Barn to ensure its preservation. The chairman has been responsible for the production of several publications which have identified listed buildings facing demolition or affected by the various routes of the Rail Link under discussion. By highlighting these buildings within the corridor, minor alterations could result in them being saved. CONFERENCE OF BUILDING RECORDERS On Saturday, October 20th, 1990, some fifty members and visitors assembled at the Barn Hall at Charing for the twenty-seventh Conference of Building Recorders. The first speaker was Mrs. Maureen Lovering, who had investigated the brickwork at East Guldeford Church - the only Romney Marsh Church in Sussex. This was built at the very end of the fifteenth century in a distinctive pink-buff brick. She was able to show that the deterioration was due to the effect of salt-laden moisture depositing salt crystals within the brick. By further scientific study, she identified the source of the clay for the bricks. Documentary research showed that the church once had a brick tower, which may have preceded it and may have been defensive. Mr Arthur Percival then followed with a talk on the Netherlandish Influences on Domestic Architecture. He started by describing house types in Holland and showed how many seventeenth-century brick houses show features derived therefrom. His examples ranged widely, although the majority were from east Kent, and were the fruit of many years of study. Next, Mrs. Gwen Jones talked about her work in hop industry research, examining with great care the structure of oasts and showing how much detail could be recovered from the four examples she described. Finally, Mr Michael Peters told of the Kent Historical Buildings Index, a computer index to the lists of Historic Buildings in the County, as an attempt to provide a more rapid response when they are threatened. The papers provoked the usual lively discussion, which continued !xii ANNUAL REPORT over tea. The Chairman, Mr K. Gravett, thanked the speakers and all those who had helped to make the day a success, including Miss Sarah Pearson, who provided the projector. The next Conference of Building Recorders will take place on Saturday, October 19th, 1991, at Charing. 1st January, 1991 !xiii By Order of the Council A.C. Harrison Hon General Secretary